SIR Alex Ferguson has refused to give up hope of signing Owen Hargreaves.

United have yet to reopen discussions with Bayern Munich for summer target Hargreaves but Fergie won't drop his interest in the England star.

The Reds and the Germans locked horns during the close season as Old Trafford's hierarchy attempted to persuade the Bundesliga champions to sell the 25-year-old.

Bayern stubbornly refused to allow Hargreaves to leave - and an acrimonious war of words waged between their top brass, the player and the Reds.

United were threatened with a potential `tapping up' case and Hargreaves (right) was publicly reprimanded by his club for declaring he wanted to move to Old Trafford.

The summer transfer window shut with Hargreaves remaining in Germany. Then in mid-September, he suffered a broken leg.

But he is now recovering swiftly, and rumours have surfaced once again that United will attempt to lure him from the Allianz Arena in January.

Ferguson admitted that he is still keen to get the anchor man into his squad.

"I can't give you an update because we haven't spoken to Bayern Munich but we are interested," he said.

However, having played for Bayern in their opening Champions League game at home to Spartak Moscow four days before he broke his leg, it rules Hargreaves out of playing for United in the competition this season.

Fergie, meanwhile, has revealed Paul Scholes is still experiencing problems with the eye that forced him to miss the second half of last season.

The midfielder appeared to have made a full recovery this term with a series of dazzling performances.

But Fergie revealed: "There is a slight haziness in the central part of one eye.

"But I think there is no problem with the actual vision in terms of football."

Scholes, 31, suffered double vision in his right eye after a blow to the head against Birmingham last December.